The “Thank You Letter” Templates
It’s been said time and time again…it’s a dog eat dog world out there, and in today’s current job market, that couldn’t be more true. Unemployment is reaching record highs and the competition for jobs is stiffer than ever before.
It’s not enough any longer to simply have a killer resume or know how to nail an interview. You have to be the whole package starting from the very first cold call all the way through to sealing the deal. During your journey towards obtaining your dream job you’ll pass important milestones like mastering the 5 minute elevator pitch and taking control of your pre-interview nerves…but there’s one milestone that seems to fall too often to the wayside...following up that killer interview with the perfect thank you note.
Writing a thank you letter to your interviewer is so much more than just a social courtesy. It’s a final parting chance to set yourself apart from the other potential job seekers. A genuine, honest, well thought out letter can literally mean the difference between getting the job and getting passed over. A thank you letter does more than simply let the person who interview you know you appreciated them taking time to meet with you, it reinforces the idea that you’re genuinely interested and committed to getting the job without seeming pushy.
Of course, don’t take it too far and cross the line between being gracious into the world of being stalkerish. A nicely written note is a yes. A muffin basket or gift card to a day at the spa with you is a no.
Before you even go to your interview, you should be thinking about your thank you letter. Yes, you read that right…even before you meet the person…or people…you should be thinking about how you want to thank them for taking time out of their busy schedules to talk with you.
When you go in for an interview, make sure to get the names of each person doing your interview. Not only is it just good manners, but it’s a subtle way to reinforce your desire to get the job. That way when you write your thank you notes, you can personalize each one. Nothing says “I totally didn’t pay attention at all to the interview because I’m more about telling you about me than learning anything about you” quite like a note addressed to “Whom it may concern,” or worse yet…”To the dudes who interviewed me.”
No. No. No.
A thank you note is much more than a chance to tell them you appreciate their time, it’s also another opportunity to sell yourself. Think of it as a follow up sales letter. Restate how much you enjoyed meeting them and how excited you are to be considered for the position.
Thank you letters come in two forms, the hand written note and the longer typed formal letter. The first is a simple thank you with a quick re-cap of the meeting. This is the only letter that should be hand written and can be done on personal stationery. Keep this one brief and to the point.
The longer, formal thank you note should be typed and can be a great opportunity to not only say thank you but help expand on an area you may feel you missed out on during the interview.
If an actual physical letter is impossible to send for one reason or another, an email may be sent instead, but be warned…you always run the risk of the email being caught in a spam filter or ignored and deleted if they don’t recognize your email address. It can also be perceived as lazy.
Always mail out your thank you letters NO LATER than 24 hours after your interview. Ideally it should be that day while your interview is still fresh in your mind…as well as your interviewer’s mind.
Feeling motivated but lacking in inspiration? Here are several handy templates you can use to get your own creative “Thank you” letter juices flowing. Use these as guidelines, but don’t forget that the key is personalization. In other words, don’t just cut and paste these word for word! Trust us, not only will we know, but so will your potential employer… You’ve been warned!
Here’s another thing. DO NOT underestimate the power of adding a link to your personal branding website.
Don’t have a personal branding website yet? You are missing out on a huge opportunity to really impress the hiring manager and “extend” your job interview. In other words, it acts as a small reminder to the hiring manager that if there are any remaining curiosities or unanswered questions left over after the interview, simply clicking the link will allow them to get everything they need from your website.
Click Here To Learn More About How A Personal Branding Website Will Supercharge Your Thank You Letter
Now go ahead and get started on your thank-you letter now!
~ Jeff & Mike
P.S. Be sure to really tailor these templates to your needs! Please do a couple of “proof reads” before sending it off.
EXAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR A ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW - Version 1
Your Name
Your Phone Number
Your Email
***Your Personal Branding Website Address (ie. JimCanlon.com)
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Thank you again for meeting with me to discuss the open position for a Secret Sauce Taste Test Coordinator at the Umptee Institute for Culinary Excellence. Based off of our conversation as well as the description listed on the corporate website, I am confident that both my interest and skills are an excellent match for the job.
As we discussed in person during the interview, I will bring to the position my enthusiasm, organizational skill and solid work ethic. I know my previous experiences in management and coordination will make working with both the Secret Sauce engineers and Technical departments not only seamless, but enjoyable.
After hearing your plans for future company growth, I understand your need for an individual who can be not only hands-on and active within the position, but also able to remain flexible and adapt to the changing corporate structure. As the company continues to grow and evolve, I am confident that my skills in coordination and attention to detail will not only help streamline the process, but will allow the other departments relying on me to focus on the larger issues.
I would also like to take this opportunity to elaborate further on my prior experience as a Ketchup Consistency expert with the Ezee-Squeezee company, a position which required me to learn how to be a professional tomato organizer and personal assistant. This experience helped to not only refine my bookkeeping and budgeting skills but also allowed me to truly develop my organizational skills as well.
Thank you again for your time and consideration for this position. If there is anything I can do to expedite your decision making process, please do not hesitate to contact me. If you have any more questions about my experience or accomplishments, please feel free to take a look at my website ***YourName.com.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
***Your Website Link
EXAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR A ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW - Version 2
Your Typed Name
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
***Your Personal Branding Website Address (ie. JimCanlon.com)
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Thank you for the opportunity to interview for the position of Oragami Folder Extraordinaire.
I am very interested in the recently posted opening within your organization. It has been a long time goal of mine to become a professional paper folder and I am incredibly excited about the possibility of working in the Paper Department at Bendum & Folldum, LLC.
I know that my skills and unique talents would make me a valuable member of your team and that the knowledge and experiences I have make me an excellent candidate for the position.
I bring attention to detail to every project I do as well as a strong work ethic, enthusiasm and superior organizational skills. I am a motivated and focused individual and pride myself on my ability to adapt to new situations. I am a self-starter who is also comfortable working in a team environment. I am dedicated to consistently providing superior results and pride myself on my ability to deliver any project on time and under budget.
I look forward to hearing from you soon and am excited at the prospect of discussing this opportunity further. If there are any questions I can answer to help assist your decision making process, please do not hesitate to let me know.
***If you have any more questions about my experience or accomplishments, please feel free to take a look at my website YourName.com.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
***Your Website Link
EXAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR A GROUP INTERVIEW - SHORT AND SWEET
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
***Your Personal Branding Website Address (ie. JimCanlon.com)
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
I would like to thank you and your staff for taking the time to meet with me and discuss the Clown Car Sales Team position at TeenieWeenie Auto Town.
I found the interview questions to be intelligent and though provoking, and as a result, has reinforced my desire to join your dynamic and hard-working team. I have been looking for a position with a company that was not only stimulating, but also encouraged collaboration and I was very excited to hear from your own staff about their experiences with Teenie Weenie Auto Town.
I am confident that my attention to detail and my organizational skills will mesh seamlessly with the skills set of your current team and I look forward to the possibility of exploring future joint projects.
Please do not hesitate to contact me If there is any information I can provide or questions I can answer that might facilitate your decision making process.
Again, it was an absolute pleasure meeting you and your staff at the interview. Thank you for your time and consideration. ***If you have any more questions about my experience or accomplishments, please feel free to take a look at my website YourName.com.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
***Your Website Link
EXAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR AN INFORMAL INTERVIEW (PERFECT FOR GRADS AND THOSE JUST ENTERING THE JOB MARKET)
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
***Your Personal Branding Website Address (ie. JimCanlon.com)
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Thank you so much for speaking with me at the University of City Colleges Career Fair today. I truly appreciated your taking the time from your busy schedule to meet with me and discuss current work opportunities with your company.
I appreciated the fact that you explained in detail not only what your company does, but what it stands for. As an individual, I consider myself to be ethical and it was refreshing to hear about a company that has the same moral compass. I was equally excited to hear about the positions currently available. I know you are interested in filling these vacancies in the near future and I want to take this opportunity to re-emphasize my desire to obtaining one of those positions.
My education here at the University of City Colleges has not only prepared me for a career in home health care and nursing by teaching me the core fundamentals and theories, but through their summer internships and work-job placement programs, has allowed me to gain valuable hands on training as well as real world experience.
I look forward to an opportunity to speak to you further about the available positions and how my skills and talents might be of service to your company.
I will contact you next week to arrange an in-person or phone appointment. ***If you have any more questions about my experience or accomplishments, please feel free to take a look at my website YourName.com.
Thank you again for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
***Your Website Link
EXAMPLE TEMPLATE FOR A FOLLOW UP INTERVIEW
Your Name
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Phone Number
Your Email
***Your Personal Branding Website Address (ie. JimCanlon.com)
Date
Name
Title
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip Code
Dear Mr./Ms. Last Name:
Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me on the phone today about the position in the Biomedical Research and Development team at Umbrella Corp. It was refreshing to speak with someone as knowledgeable as yourself about the field of genetic research, and I was inspired by both your passion and your dedication to the company.
If given the opportunity, I know I would bring that same level of passion and dedication. As I mentioned during our conversation, it has always been a goal of mine to work at Umbrella Corp. My previous experience as a Red Queen Programmer and my extensive training in hand-to-hand combat has prepared me well for this position and I look forward to a chance to bring those skills to the Umbrella Corp. table. I am also positive that my talents in research organization and specimen preparation would be a welcome addition to your research team.
I am very enthusiastic about taking the next step in this process and am hoping that we might be able to discuss this position further in person at your office. I will call your secretary later this week to schedule a time when we can meet.
Again, thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting with you in person.
Sincerely,
Your Signature
***Your Website Link